Is Grammar REALLY important

1
Is Grammar REALLY important?

• Katelyn Fry
• Tara Justice
• Eng210

2
Myth 10 Some Languages Have NO Grammar

• This myth is defined in Language Myths by Laurie
  Bauer and Peter Trudgill.
• Myth 10 is written by Winifred Bauer.

3
What is Myth 10 About?

• This myth gives an example of a language without
  grammar. It proves that without grammar,
  effective communication is impossible.
• Without grammar the listener or reader cannot
  comprehend what the speaker intends.
• Are there languages without grammar?

4
NO!

• All languages have some grammar structure.
• Although we cant quantify the amount of grammar
  a language has, we do know that EVERY language
  has a complex grammatical system.
• For example, Latin makes extensive use of endings
  or inflections. Word order in Latin is not
  important.
• Chinese uses word order.
• English uses fixed word order and some
  inflections.

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Why is Grammar Important?

• Grammar is important because it is the foundation
  of any language.
• Language would be of very little use because it
  would never make sense.
• A language without grammar is a contradiction.
• What would happen if teaching grammar was not
  important?

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Why teach grammar?

• Recently teachers have started stressing content
  and development more which is called the Process
  Movement. As a result, grammar is perceived as
  unimportant.
• If we didnt teach grammar, than it would be
  difficult to learn any language. Grammar is a
  complex system and all languages revolve around
  it.

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Example of a Language without Grammar

• Fixed word order is one of the key components of
  English. It has the effect of marking the
  function of words just as clearly as the use of
  endings.
• EX The boy saved the dog.
• The dog saved the boy.
• The performer of the action always comes before
  the verb (saved), and the recipient of the action
  always comes after the verb.

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What do we conclude?

• Grammar is a basic building block of every
  language. It is important to emphasize grammar
  because without it, both written and spoken
  language would not make sense.